Yes. He charges.
Definition of a charge?
I would define a charge as head down, not playing the ball, and deliberately running into a player who is standing in front of you.
Yes, you won’t get to many 6’4 players running around in hurling with the head down, if he has the ball and takes four steps and a player stands in his way he has a right to go through him, legally.. he can’t charge him i.e turn side on shoulder to his front or back, but can use his strength to get by.. can you imagine stopping all those runs?
A charge is very easy to call as a ref, someone with ball and stick in hand, upright and honest I’ll let go. If a defender tries to stop him by putting his arms around him and not trying to play ball it’s a foul.. to be fair though he is an awkward big Cnut and t**ker bell feet he’s not got, so I’ll give him the benefit for now, but I’ve the game recorded from Sunday so I’ll check it
You sure about that?
IMO if someone is straight in front of you and even if you haven't exceeded your 4 steps I don't think you've the right to frontal "barge" them out of the way. You have to at least make an effort to go round them.
The allowable shoulder charge is shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip which you can't do if you're standing face on with someone.
Now, what the rule book says and how hurling is currently being refereed are miles apart when it comes to tackling.
Frontal barge into someones front or back is a charge so its a foul, but he can lift his arms in a way to try and get around him, if the player in front is trying to stop him illegally, i.e putting arms around him, on him, or pulling his arm then its a free, well thats how I read the the game, one person trying to play ball, other not..
Does Magic get pulled for trying to get around players with ball in hand, he's a big lad, whats been your experience of his 'runs' with the ball?
If I see a honest attempt of a player with ball trying to get past an opponent then I'll let him try, if the other players are holding grappling or pulling then I'll give the free, by the same token if the lad with the ball lifts his feet into a tackle thats a charge, if he raises a elbow/arm going into that same takle then thats a foul also, and if he doesnt play the ball within the 4 steps 5/6 seconds then he's foulded the ball (provided he was held up illegally i.e a player just standing his ground and not pulling/holding grappling)
You are all playing it long enough to know what a foul is in those circumstances, while others find themselves in this position a lot due to their awkwardness, style or size the ref can only call it as he sees it.
I prefer a contact sport to no contact sport, there will be ones that take it to the max, its the ref's call at that point, he my not get them all, and I'm guilty of reflecting afterwards of whether I made the right call, but you go with your gut at the time.